The Prince of Wales, Colonel in Chief The Royal Gurkha Rifles has met soldiers from the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles. The 1 RGR are currently undertaking pre-deployment training for Operation Herrick 17. This will see approximately 550 men from the battalion deployed to the Helmand Province of Afghanistan bet - September this year and April 2013. They will be spread across the district in support of other units in a training role preparing the Afghan national security forces in the ongoing transition process to enable the draw dawn of ISAF forces and facilitate Afghan self-governance. They will continue with previous work they have conducted mentoring both the Afghan National Police and the Afghan National Army in which they were able to establish close bonds and trust with the Afghan people through cultural and linguistic similarities, fostering a mutual respect. This will be the battalion's third deployment to Afghanistan, and in addition to those three deployments it has supplied troops for two further deployments, meaning 1 RGR has played a significant and ongoing role in the Afghanistan conflict and the country's rebuilding. Salisbury, England.